


Mixed Traditions

by 3amepiphany



Series: 25 Days of WOYmas [12]
Category: Wander Over Yonder
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-26
Updated: 2016-12-26
Packaged: 2018-09-12 08:18:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 690
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9063883
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/3amepiphany/pseuds/3amepiphany
Summary: Not everyone celebrates Today, and sometimes you just have to try something different and spruce up the pole.





	

**Author's Note:**

> http://omegalovaniac.tumblr.com/post/154966112954/day-23-festivus-the-first-night-of-hanukkah-and

“Well, your Father always found the tinsel distracting. I figured, Festivus is for the rest of us. Why not put all that ribbon and wrapping paper your hippie friend sent us in the mail to good use? I love it.” Dorothy crossed her arms, and that was that. Sylvia’s brothers looked at her, waiting for the response.

Sylvia was dumbfounded, though. The pole was always undecorated, blank, bland.

Peepers stood there, Argos strapped to his chest in the baby carrier and sleeping soundly, Lucida holding on to one of his hands and swinging it. “I’m not picking sides here, nor can I weigh in on what the heck is supposed to be going on, but one, I really like the color scheme. Two, it’s festive. Festivus. I thought it was supposed to be a clock in a bag, though. I’m so confused.”

Gil cleared his throat. “We nail the clock in the bag to the wall when we air out grievances because it allows us to pass the time without knowing the time.” Peepers and Hater nodded, trying to pretend to understand the difference. This was all so new to them.

Wander said quietly, “Here’s what I think.” He paused as Sylvia craned her neck around to fix him with a pointed look. “This visit is sort of a mish-mash of Festivus and Today, right? Your Dad might have gotten a pretty good kick out of it. He seems like he was an affable fella.” The brothers nodded and shrugged, and Dorothy put her arms out to Sylvia.

“I think he would have. That yutz was always eager to accommodate new things if he could learn something from it.”

“Ma, don’t,” Syl said, going in for a hug, sort of defeated on the matter but not really knowing what to do or say about it. It just seemed wrong.

“Don’t, what? Don’t don’t me. I don’t even know what you’re don’t-ing me about.”

“Calling dad a yutz.”

“Stan was a yutz. Doesn’t mean I didn’t love him with all my heart. Listen, Syl, if it bothers you I can have Phill undo the decor after the meal.” From the couch, with Theá on his knee, he nodded.

Syl shook her head. “Let’s leave it up. Festivus is for the rest of us. What does Gran think of it?”

Bill laughed and said, “Gran was actually the one who brought in those things on the end of it. She of course did it as a joke but it looks nice.”

“To be fair, we didn’t pay for any of these trimmings, I think she got the finials from the curtain rods at the social club. That’s where she’s at now, playing bridge and probably spiking her tea despite the club rules. So we’re still working within the spirit of the holiday.” Dorothy stepped back a bit, and looked at the pole, and then shrugged. “And you know if you’ve got a problem with it you can always air that out at the table.” She looked down as Iris tugged at her apron. Picking up the wiggly little zbornak, she smiled.

“My only question how is what do we do with the fact that we have two heads of the household here? Do we do this individually or do they square off?” Sylvia said, putting a hand on Peepers’ head and giving him a soft, sort of half-noogie.

He blinked. “Square off?”

Bill and Phil whooped, agreeing. Gil complained, saying he really wanted to see the big skeleton guy go against their mom.

“What do you mean by square off? Why does your brother want Hater to fight your Mom?”

“So,” said Syl, “remember when we had that discussion before we came over about how my family was pretty traditional, and that the father was usually deemed the head of the household unless he wasn’t around anymore for whatever reason?” He nodded. “Alright. Good. Just. Keep that in mind for the end of the evening.”

Wander wanted to know if he needed to bring out the talking stick for the airing of grievances. Dorothy said that was a very, very good idea.


End file.
